Door latching mechanism



Sept. 9, 1958 E. GUYAZ DOOR LATCHING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 25. 1954 INVENTOR Sept. 9, 1958 E. GUYAZ DOOR LATCHING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 23, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN ENTOR EDUARD Y hidgwiw UYAZ United States Patent DOOR LATCHING MECHANISM Eduard Guyaz, Binningen, near Basel, Switzerland, assignor of one-half to August Kiibeli, Basel, Switzerland Application August 23, 1954, Serial No. 451,521

Claims priority, application Switzerland February 1, 1954 Claims. (Cl. 292-78) This invention relates to a door latching mechanism to be aflixed to a door associated with a doorframe, to which 'doorframe is affixed a conntermember for cooperation with said mechanism to latch the door as it is closed and unlatch the door in response to pressure exercised on the door in the opening sense.

It is a main object of the invention to provide an improved mechanism of the type described which enables the door to be closed and opened with a minimum of no1se.

The mechanism according to the invention comprises a latching member movable between a latched position and a released position and engageable by said countermember for movement from said released to said latched position and vice versa during the closing and opening movements of said door, respectively, and spring-loaded means operatively connected to said latching member for locating it in said latched and released positions and for controlling its movement therebetween.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

Two illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side View showing a first embodiment of the latching mechanism, with some of the parts thereof shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the latching mechanism shown in Fig. 1; I

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the mechanism in a latched position;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the latching mechanism, and

Figs. 5 and 6, respectively, are a side view and front view of an accessory.

The latching mechanism, shown in Figs. 1-4, comprises as a carrier for the several parts a channel member 1, one flange of which has a recess 2 therein. Both flanges have afiixed thereto a pin 3, which rotatably carries the hub portion 4 of a bail comprising two arms 5. The hub portion 4 carries two torsion springs 6, the ends of which engage the web of the channel 1 and the arms 5. Fig. 1 shows the bail 4, 5 in a pesition in which the torsion springs 6 are strained, tending to turn the arms 5 downwardly. The two arms 5 have linked thereto by means of a pin 7 two limbs 9 of a first link member 8, which has formed thereon a handle 10.

The two limbs 9 of link member 8 are interconnected by a pin 11, which carries a lever 12, one end of which is linked to the piston rod 13 of a piston 14 vertically reciprocable in a cylinder 15. The piston 14 and cylinder 15 form a shock absorber.

The pin 11 also carries one end of a second link member 16, the other end of which is linked to a latching member 17, which latching member is linked at 18 to one flange of the channel 1 and the pivotally movable free end of which has a channel shaped cross section and is arranged adjacent to the recess 2.

2,851,296 Patented Sept. 9, 1958 The handle 10 extends out through a lateral opening, not shown in the drawings, and can be moved up and down to swing the latching member between its latched and released positions.

A guide lever 19 is pivoted at one end on pin 11 and at its other end is linked to a carrier 20 fixed to channel 1. Lever 19 serves to constrain the pin 11 for movement along an arcuate path during the up and down movement of the link member 8 in conjunction with the movement of the latching member 17 from its released into the latched position and vice versa. The web of the channel 1 carries an adjustable screw 21, which can be set in position and serves as a stop for locating the latching member 17 in its latched position or for permitting the latching member 17 to be moved sufliciently far so that the bail arms 5 and the first link member 8 can move past the dead center position so that the latching member 17 may be locked against movement.

The embodiment of the latching mechanism shown in Figs. 14 is intended for doors which can be opened toward one side from the closed position by pressure eX- ercised thereon, i. e. for doors having no latch handle and preferably provided with an automatic door closer for'returning the door to its closed position. The doorframe has affixed thereto a member cooperating with the latching member 17 of the mechanism and consisting in the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of a plate 22, which is fixed to the doorframe by screws and carries a pin 23. The reduced outer end of pin 23 serves as a carrier for a roller 25 held by a screw 24 and rotatable on needle members 26.

The mechanism shown in Figs. l-4 operates as follows:

When the door is open the several parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1. In that position the open end of the latching member 17 on the level of the recess 2 formed in one flange of channel 1 faces an apertured strip covering the channel 1, which is countersunk in the door. Just before the door has reached its closed position, the roller 25 enters the aperture in the covering strip and moves into the channel shaped end of the latching member 17 and causes the latter to perform a pivotal movement about the pin 18. At the same time the lever 16 is turned on pin 11 to move together with the latching member 17 into the position shown in Fig. 3. In that position the roller 25 remains within the channel end of the latching member, which is opened toward the side of the recess 2. In the latched position the latching member engages the stop screw 21. During the movement of the latching member 17 from the released position shown in Fig. 1 to the latched position shown in Fig. 3 the guide lever 19 causes the link 8 to swing around pin 7 and with the assistance of the torsion springs 6 causes the bails 4, 5 to turn on the pin 3. This movement of the link 8 is transmitted to the piston 14 through lever 12 and piston rod 13 to cause a downward movement of piston 14 in cylinder 15 whereby the closing movement is braked almost to a standstill so that any noise is practically avoided even during the final phase of the closing movement, when the latching member engages the stop 21.

The door is held in its closed position by the roller 25 disposed in the latching member 17. On the other hand the door can be opened by merely exerting pressure thereon. As the door is opened the roller 25 leaves the latching member 17 and causes the latter to swing back from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that of Fig. 1. In this case the piston 14 moving upwardly in the cylinder 15 does not exercise a braking action and the link memher 8 and the bail 4, 5 also return to their initial positions.

On the other hand, when the stop screw 21 is adjusted to the locking position, the latching member 17 will move toward the stop screw 21 until the bail arms 5 and the first link member 8 are in a straight line, that is at dead center position. At this position guide lever 19 has reached its lowermost position. Springs 6 will urge the bail arms further around pin 3 thus causing bail arms 5 and first link member 8 to move past the dead center position until latching member 17 engages the stop screw 21. Guide lever 19. will have started to move upwardly at this point. Pressure on latching member 17 tending to disengageit from stop screw 21 will only serveto urge guide lever 19 further in the upward direction, thus tending to urge bail arms 5 and first link member 3 further past the dead center position. Movement of handle will cause first link member 8 to change its position to unlock the linkage.

I claim:

1. A door latching mechanism to be afiixed to a door associated with a doorframe to which is afiixed a countermember for cooperation with said mechanism to latch the door as it is closed, which comprises a latching member pivotally movable between a latched position and a released position and engageable by said countermember for movement from said released to said latched position and vice versa during the closing and opening movements of said door, respectively, spring means, and means operatively connecting said spring means to said latching member for locating it in said latched and released positions and for controlling its movement therebetween, said connecting means comprising a rotatable bail loaded by said spring means, a first link member pivotally connected to u said bail, a second link member pivotally connected to said first link member and to said latching member, and adjustable abutting means for limiting the distance said latching member can move in the direction of its latched position, said abutting means being adjustable to one position in which the connecting point between said bail and said first link may be positioned to permit the mechanism to assume a latched position allowing the door to be opened in response to pressure exercised on it in the opening sense, and being adjustable to a position beyond said latched position in which the connecting point is positioned to cause the mechanism to lock said latching member.

2. A door latching mechanism to be afiixed to a door associated with a doorframe to which is aflixed a countermember for cooperation with said mechanism to latch the door as it is closed, which comprises a latching member pivotally movable between a latched position and a released position and engageable by said countermember for movement from said released to said latched position and vice versa during the closing and opening movements of said door, respectively, spring means, means operatively connecting said spring means to said latching member for locating it in said latched and released positions and for controlling its movement therebetween, said connecting means comprising a rotatable bail loaded by said spring means, a first link member pivotally connected to said bail, a second link member pivotally connected to said first link member and to said latching member, and an adjustable screw for limiting the distance the latching member can move in the direction of its latched position, said adjustable screw in one position limiting the position of the connecting point between said bail and said first link to cause the mechanism to assume a locking position in which the door cannot be opened and in another position limiting the position of the connecting point to allow the door to be opened in response to pressure exercised on it in the opening sense, and means on said connecting means for moving said connecting point from a locking to a latched position.

3. A door latching mechanism to be afiixed to a door associated with a door-frame to which is affixed a countermember for cooperation with said mechanism to latch the door as it is closed, which comprises a latching member pivotally movable between a latched position and a released position and engageable by said countermember for movement from said released to said latched position and vice versa during the closing and opening movements of said door, respectively, spring means, means operatively connecting said spring means to said latching member for locating it in said latched and released positions and for controlling its movement therebetween, said connecting means comprising a rotatable bail loaded by said spring means, a first link member pivotally connected to said bail, said bail and said first link members movable through a position in which they are aligned with each other, a second link member pivotally connected to said latching member, a pivot pin pivotally interconnecting said first and second link members, a guide lever connected to said pivot pin to constrain the same for arcuate movement during the pivotal movement of said latching member and adjustable abutting means for limiting the distance the latching member can move in the direction of its latched position, said abutting means in one position limits the position of the connecting point between said bail and said first link to permit said bail and said first link member to move through the aligned position and cause the mechanism to assume a locking position in which the door cannot be opened and in another position to limit the position of the connecting point to prevent said bail and said first link from moving through the aligned position and to assume a latching position allowing the door to be opened in response to pressure exercised on it in the opening sense, and means on said connecting means for moving said connecting point from a locking to a latching position.

4. A door latching member as claimed in claim 3 and a braking device connected to said pivot pin for retarding the closing movement of the door.

5. A door latching mechanism as claimed in claim 3 in which said means for moving said connecting point from a locking to a latching position is a handle on said first link member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

